Royai Week 2016 Collection
by Xennariel
Summary: A series of one shots for Royai Week 2016. Some angsty, some fluffy. All of these are set in the Manga/Brotherhood universe.
1. Warmth

Here's my take on Royai 2016's prompt 'Warmth.' This is kind of angsty… For some reason I always end up getting ideas that are a little… off from where others interpreted a prompt. Anyway, here is my first ever offering for the FMA fandom. Of course it would have to be Royai. What else would I want to write about?

—

Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye had survived war, loss, and horrifying monsters. It seemed utterly ridiculous that either of them be struck down by a common terrorist. Yet they were facing that very real possibility. Riza was dying, a bullet through her chest. A bullet meant for him.

Roy's hands shook as he held her in his arms. Despite the warmth from her blood seeping through his clothes, a creeping chill slowly settled over him. How had this happened? They had been so careful. An anonymous tip off had been phoned in early that morning about the location of a group of terrorists Mustang's team had been trailing for months, and with very few leads to go on, they had to take the chance that it wasn't a trap.

With this in mind, they took every precaution to ensure the safety of the team in the event of a surprise attack. After a thorough search of the premises they believed the tip had been a red herring, and Roy let his guard down for no more than a few seconds. But not Riza. Never Riza. Always diligent. Constantly aware of everything around her. After all, a bodyguard never rests while in the field. Her need to protect Roy came above all and, that evening, her instincts once again proved to be invaluable.

As Roy and Riza exited the warehouse, Riza had caught a glimpse of something shining off the adjacent building. Within moments, a gunshot rang out as Riza pushed Roy to the side, shielding him with her body, firing off several rounds in rapid succession, taking down the sniper, but not before getting hit herself, having no time to move out of harm's way if she wanted to eliminate the threat. She slumped onto her side once she was sure they were in the clear, unable to ignore the effects of the bullet between her ribs any longer. Roy shouted to Havoc who was positioned at the other side of the warehouse, his voice panicked as he instructed the second lieutenant to call for an ambulance.

Roy held Riza tighter in his arms.

"Don't close your eyes, Lieutenant, stay with me," Roy spoke softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "That's an order."

"I'll try, sir," she replied weakly.

Keeping herself conscious was difficult and she leaned into him, absorbing the warmth his embrace provided as her own slowly drained from her. Roy ran his hand through her hair, brushing her bangs from her eyes. The ambulance was taking a long time to reach them. Too long.

"You're going to be fine," Roy whispered, dread settling in the pit of his stomach at how cold and still his lieutenant was becoming. "Help will be here soon. Just hang on."

Riza took in a ragged breath and looked up at him, her vision blurred, a small smile on her lips.

"I…might not be able to…follow your orders this time…" she breathed.

Roy clenched his teeth, his eyes beginning to sting.

"Don't you dare…" He growled, unable to hide his grief any longer.

"I'm sorry," Riza managed, her voice barely audible.

Roy shook her, trying to keep her with him.

"No…No, no…"

This was not the end. He would not let her die. But doubt fell over him as he stared down at her. What if it really was the last time he'd see her?

In a last desperate act he leaned down closer to her, warm breath tickling her rapidly cooling skin. As he gently touched his lips to hers, he couldn't tell which one of them was crying.

Their first kiss tasted of copper and salt.

—-

Eh, I knew how I wanted to end this, but the rest of the fic took a turn I was not expecting… Not sure I like it, but that's what I get for waiting to write at the last minute… Anyway, thanks for reading. =)

Edit: Oh, I probably should point out that I was thinking she'd live after this, so it's not completely angsty, but I do so love death fics and angst so who knows. I left it in the air for the reader to decide. xP This is also a possible excerpt from a longer Royai fic I've had in mind, one that follows the series as if they were the main characters.


	2. Colors

What the hell is this? Fluff, from me? I'm terrible at romance, what am I doing? And this is a day late again. I feel like I'm going to be a day late with all of these this week.

—–

The most prominent color of his world was red. The color of fire and blood. The color of the tattoo and scars that marred her back.

Red was the only color he saw in his monochrome dreams since the Promised Day. The day he almost lost her, his guardian, his shadow, the woman he loved. It had been two years since then, but seeing her at his side was still the only thing that anchored him after waking from his nightmares. Her steady breathing a gentle reminder that she had survived. They had survived.

Roy gazed at the beautiful woman sleeping at his side, his fingers ghosting over the array etched into her back. He softly pressed his lips, like whispered apologies, into her skin, her scars.

These stolen moments were precious and despite how dangerous it was for them to be together, how often she reminded him that his future would be at stake if they were caught, he couldn't bring himself to care, not when he felt so at ease, so comfortable, so at peace when she was near. She was his lifeline, his conscience, and without her, his future didn't seem so bright.

Riza stirred at his attentions and woke slowly, a quiet sigh escaping her lips as Roy held her close and continued to kiss and nuzzle her scars, his affection for her evident in his actions. She glanced over her shoulder and he met her eyes, the devotion and adoration he held for her clearly written in his gaze. She smiled softly and turned in his embrace, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

Words were never needed to know the depth of the feelings they held for each other. One glance was all they needed to communicate. One look was all it took for her to understand he couldn't sleep. His nightmares were keeping him awake and anxious. She left a trail of kisses from his forehead, to his temple, his cheek, his jaw, and finally rested on the side of his mouth. He relaxed as she slid her arms around his shoulders, drawing small, comforting circles on his bare arms and back. Roy kissed her, slowly, meaningfully, before burying his face into her golden hair, placing a chaste kiss on the crown of her head.

Riza continued to draw random patterns on his skin as she felt him drift off back to sleep, pulling him closer and shielding him from his nightmares, proving, once again, her place as his eternal guardian, protector of his everything.

—

I am an absolute sucker for Roy kissing and touching the array and scars on Riza's back, so that was my inspiration for this one.

And I just could not figure out how to word those last lines. Like, I knew what I wanted to say, but it was not coming out eloquently enough… I'm still not happy with it, but I hope I got my point across. Thanks for reading. =)


	3. Stars

Nights in Ishval were the only times Roy and Riza had any semblance of calm during the war. They would sit among ruined buildings and silently gaze up at the sky, trying to pretend they were far away, maybe back at the old Hawkeye estate, back to a time and place where they were still innocent and naive to the ways of the world. Their current world was ugly, and terrible, and the small beauty the stars brought only made it worse.

"I used to see hope in the stars." Roy mutters, gaze still focused on the dark sky above them. "Now...I don't know."

Riza sighs, almost inaudibly, next to him.

"There must be some hope left out there... There _must_ be something left we can hold on to. It's too much to believe there isn't."

She doesn't quite believe her own words, but clings to them, fooling herself into believing. Roy frowns and considers this before replying.

"I just… I suppose now I feel like I'm part of the dust in this hell. I'm just a speck of dust, drifting… my body moving without my consent. Like I'm not even here anymore."

"You're not dust…" Riza responds, quietly, turning to face him. "I know you're meant for great things. Your dreams make you more... You are stardust."

Roy's eyes widen for a moment, beginning to sting with emotion at her words. He refuses to look at her. How did she do that? How was this woman so amazing that she could somehow always find the words that could bring him peace even in this hell? Riza slowly moves her hand to his and Roy immediately threads their fingers together, gripping her hand tighter, like he was trying to keep her by his side, as if she would disappear any moment. The darkness shielded this small intimacy from prying eyes.

Though they no longer had hope, they could take comfort in each other, and maybe that was enough.

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I seem to have gone ellipse crazy with this one. Whoops. I'm also upset that all my one shots for this week are so short. I need to remedy this somehow. Also, yes, another kind of angsty drabble. These two demand angst and I am all too happy to oblige.


	4. Forgotten

Night had fallen over East City as Lieutenant Colonel Mustang and Second Lieutenant Hawkeye moved into position to bust an illegal arms dealer selling weapons from Drachma on the outskirts of the city. It was a simple mission, but Mustang was willing to take on any job that had even a remote possibility of earning him a reputation, getting his name out there, and landing him a promotion. He was sure the order was for his entire team, but he felt no need for all of them to be on duty for this particular mission and sent them home, assuring them that Hawkeye and himself could take care of things easily. Sure enough, the mission had been an easy success and only caused one minor setback. Riza Hawkeye broke one of her silver stud earrings.

While waiting for the authorities to take the dealers away, she hadn't noticed one of the larger men lurch up behind her until it was too late. The man used his entire body to smash her sideways into a wall, ripping the gun from her hand and pointing it at her as she gripped her head, a severe headache erupting from the blow. The ear that connected with the wall rang loudly, amplifying the pain in her skull. She grit her teeth and prepared to fight, but a snap to her left made that thought moot. A burst of flame hit the burly man's hand, singing the skin and forcing him to drop the gun, shouting in pain and falling to his knees, cradling his now scorched hand. He had been lucky. Mustang wanted to do a lot more to him after witnessing the mistreatment of his lieutenant.

Their backup arrived moments later and took the dealers into custody while the investigations team immediately began to question Roy about the details of the mission. Not being able to go to her to make sure she was okay, he glanced to Riza, catching her eye and raising his brow in a questioning expression. Riza understood the unspoken inquiry and nodded to confirm that she was fine, but as she went to rub her ear, she realized why it was not just painful, but also itchy. It had become sticky and red with blood that had dribbled down from a cut on her temple. She frowned as she wiped away the blood, only to freeze as her fingers groped the lobe. Her earring was gone. Frown deepening, she looked down quickly to try to find the missing stud. It didn't take her long to find it, much to her relief, and she retrieved the small silver ball from the ground next to her. Upon closer examination, she discovered the backing had snapped off and with a heavy sigh she pocketed the broken earring, and its twin, for safe keeping.

Roy strode over to Riza once he was finished with relaying the mission information to the investigations team. Concern laced his expression as he neared her. The Lieutenant was rubbing her temple, trying to relieve the pain of her headache, and he definitely noticed the blood on her uniform jacket, hair, and ear. It had been a shallow cut, but it bled like crazy and made it look far worse than it was.

"Hawkeye, are you sure you're all right?" Roy asked, worry evident in his voice as he reached her side.

Riza looked up at Roy as he spoke. She graced him with a small smile.

"Yes, sir, it's just a scratch." she replied, turning to him to offer a salute.

Mustang waved his hand dismissively.

"None of that, lieutenant. We're off duty now. Let's get you home and clean up that cut."

Hawkeye nodded and followed him to his car parked a few blocks away. She still kept one hand at her temple, rubbing slowly to ease the pain. Mustang insisted on driving once they reached the car and with a headache as bad as the one she was dealing with, she didn't argue much.

Once they reached Riza's apartment, Roy followed her to her door, wanting to help her dress her wound, refusing to take no for an answer. They were both stubborn people, she mused, sighing and letting him into her apartment. This wasn't the first time he had been to her home and he immediately headed for her bathroom where he knew she kept disinfectant and bandages., after removing his shoes, of course. She had always been a stickler about wearing shoes around the house.

He returned to her in the living room a minute later to find her sitting on the couch, uniform jacket already removed and draped over one of her dining chairs. She looked sad and distant as she stared off at the table in front of her. Roy approached her and sat to her right, choosing not to say anything about her mood. Instead, he began dabbing at the cut at her temple carefully with a wet cloth to remove the blood from her head and ear. She winced only slightly as he cleaned the cut with disinfectant and applied a bandage to it. His gentle hands were a nice distraction from the dulling pain in her head and his fingers lingered on her skin after he finished his task. If she noticed, she said nothing. Small indulgences of their affection for one another were rare and each of them savored those moments. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she felt him touch her ear.

"Your earring is gone."

Riza sighed and gestured to the coffee table where her precious earrings sat.

 _So that's what she had been looking at._

"One of them broke when I was shoved into that wall," she replied, giving him a sad smile. "You know how important those are to me."

Roy nodded, returning her smile as he thought back to when she received those earrings. Years ago. In another lifetime. A simple gift full of meaning made by a young alchemist in gratitude for sharing her secrets with him. A gift full of promise for a future together. A future neither was sure could be possible anymore.

They both settled back into the cushions of the couch, reminiscing.

Roy's thoughts were interrupted minutes later by pressure on his shoulder. He looked down to find a sleeping Riza had slumped into him. He smiled, gently running his fingers through her short hair. She was adorable when she slept and he simply sat for a while, admiring her delicate features.

As much as he would have loved to remain there with her sleeping at his side, his arm eventually became stiff and he reluctantly maneuvered out from under her in order to carefully pick her up, princess style, and tuck her into bed. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he moved to leave her apartment, grabbing her earrings from the table as he went.

Riza entered the office the next morning seeming a little frazzled and upset. Most people wouldn't have noticed the slight change in her demeanor, but Roy certainly did. He even knew what was bothering her today, and that something was sitting in the breast pocket of the button-up beneath his uniform. A chance to tease Riza was hard to come by, and he refused to give in just yet, but the look on her face as he occasionally stole glances at her throughout the day, the small sighs she would occasionally emit, made him feel bad and almost had him giving up and spilling everything to her immediately.

The end of the day finally approached and the team filed out, chattering amongst themselves about the things they would be doing over the weekend. Hawkeye and Mustang were the last two in the office, as usual, and as Riza finally got ready to leave, after giving Roy a crisp salute, the Lt. Colonel smirked, cleared his throat, and addressed his Lieutenant.

"Oh, Lieutenant, I almost forgot," Roy spoke quickly, but casually, stopping her before she opened the door.

Riza turned back to him with a questioning look. His grin widened and motioned for her to come close.

"Come over here and close your eyes."

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked, slightly annoyed by his antics. She was certainly not in the mood for games tonight.

"Just come over here, Hawkeye."

Hawkeye sighed and frowned at him, becoming suspicious of her superior, before doing as she was told. Once she stood only a foot away, Roy reached into his pocket to produce two silver stud earrings, both back to perfect condition, and reached for Riza's face. He gently placed the earrings back on her ears, where they belonged. Riza's brow furrowed in confusion before realization dawned on her and her lips slowly curved into a small smile.

"There," Roy said, nodding satisfactorily at his handiwork. "Alright, open your eyes."

Riza obeyed and was met with her reflection in a small compact mirror. On her ears were her silver studs which looked as if nothing had ever happened to them to begin with. She hid her smile and glared up at Roy when he removed the mirror from in front of her face. Roy smiled nervously at her expression.

"Are you not happy?"

Hawkeye huffed and punched him in the arm, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough that he flinched and rubbed at the spot.

"You've been hiding this from me all day," Riza scolded him, crossing her arms. "How could you? You _knew_ I was upset about one of them breaking. That was bad enough. But then I thought I had lost them on top of it."

Roy pouted and looked to the ground. He hadn't realized he was being that mean.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to play a little joke on you, but I guess I took it too far. I should have just told you this morning," he rubbed the back of his head, looking back up her her sheepishly with his eyes. "Will you forgive me?"

Riza sighed, knowing she shouldn't relent to his pouting so easily, but he could be so cute and convincing sometimes. She relaxed her stance and touched his cheek, making him bring his head back up to face her again. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips before smiling at him.

"I shouldn't, but of course I do," Riza replied quietly, touching one of the earrings with a gentle caress. "Thank you for fixing them."

Roy's heart fluttered from the kiss and the way she looked at him, so full of affection.

"Of course! Anything for you." Roy beamed at her. "Now let's get out of here."

He placed his hand on the small her back as he led her out the door of their office, glad to finally be going home, and feeling overjoyed that he made the woman he loved happy again.

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Gah, I had no idea how to end this. It just kept going… This ended up being way longer I anticipated. I spent two days trying to come up with something for the Forgotten theme, and when I finally came up with something, it turned into a giant thing just to get to the one line at the end that inspired the story… I don't much like the very end, but eh. I needed to stop somewhere.

I was going to include a flashback scene where Roy gives Riza her earrings, but I wasn't feeling it today so I opted to leave it out. I do plan on writing a multichapter Royai fic detailing the FMA story as though Roy and Riza were the main characters, which would include their first meeting and growing up together while Roy is Berthold's apprentice, so I'll probably just put the scene I was thinking of in that fic.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading.


	5. Music

Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye had been in tune with each other for as long as they could remember. Each chapter of their lives was a new movement in the heartbreaking sonata they were unknowingly writing together with every decision, every look, every whisper. Their childhood, a sweet capriccio, lively and full of hope. Ishval was nothing but dissonance, a grim aria in minor that would forever taint their memories. After Ishval, everything seemed to be a continuous requiem for the lives they took and those they lost later on, with a crescendo to the Promised Day.

The final installment was yet to be written, but their dreams herald nothing but a melancholy finale.

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I was trying to be different with this one, but because my writing is basically just word vomit, I have absolutely no way of making this idea as beautiful as it should be so I decided to try to make this a true drabble, but ended up going over that mark by a bit. You get the idea though, right? I envision their lives twining together to create a sonata, a form of music with four movements, each differing in tempo and melody. I hope I made that clear, but that's what author's notes are for otherwise, right? Sorry it's so short, but thanks for reading. Maybe I'll go back and try to add more to this some day. I really like the idea, but I seem to just not be the right person to write it.


	6. Ignite

Why was this prompt so hard for me? I feel like this should have been one the easiest ones. It's also late again. This one is kind of angsty, kind of fluffy.

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It was ironic how fire was such a prominent part of who they were and seemed to unify them even before Roy became the Flame Alchemist. There was a spark that had developed between them when they were young, even before they knew it was there. When exactly had that spark grown, burning with such intensity that it was almost painful? Neither could remember, almost as if it had always been there, waiting to be released.

All they knew was that with every touch, the spark grew. With every look, the spark grew. And with every kiss, the spark would ignite as an inferno, engulfing them in a warm embrace they didn't think they could live without. The fire connecting them was a comfort during their lives that seemed to be filled with nothing but hardship and loss, and when one of them broke down, the other would bring much needed catharsis.

It was one of those nights and Roy had found himself gripping his phone, a look of worry gracing his features, while speaking reassuringly and softly to his lieutenant on the other end. Riza was breathing heavily and trying to calm her nerves as wave after wave of anxiety and panic washed over her. She couldn't catch her breath and her world was spinning, but she tried valiantly to focus on Roy's voice.

Most nights when she woke from nightmares followed by a panic attack, just his voice and reassuring words would be enough to settle her, but tonight, just a phone call didn't seem to be enough help. Roy, somehow always able to sense things amiss by just the minor nuances of her voice, realized she wasn't getting better and informed her he was coming to her.

He knew it was bad when she didn't even protest, murmuring a quiet affirmation instead before hanging up.

Roy didn't bother changing out of his pajama bottoms, just throwing on a shirt, black overcoat, and white scarf to hide his face. He grabbed a hat off the coat hanger by the door and hurried out into the dark streets of Central. Her apartment was a ten minute walk from his, but he made it in five. Not bothering to knock, he fished the spare key to her home out of his coat pocket and let himself in, where he was greeted by a worried looking Black Hayate.

Riza didn't hear him enter her apartment as she sat on the ground in the living room, dressed in one of his old shirts. Her back was against the couch, her head in her heads resting between her raised knees, and she didn't look up when Roy sat next to her after tossing his coat, hat, and scarf onto the floor of the entryway. He put his arm around her shoulder and placed his other hand on her bare knee, rubbing his thumb lightly along the side of her leg. Her breathing was irregular and her body shook as if she was freezing, though the skin under his hand was warm, and she didn't respond even as he leaned in close and whispered soothing words while rocking her slowly.

"It's okay. You'll be okay. I've got you." Roy muttered, lips just barely grazing the shell of her ear.

That seemed to get a response. She relaxed slightly in his arms, and her breathing became more normal, but she still did not lift her head. Roy sighed and held her closer, running his fingers through her hair affectionately and in a calming manner. Her shivering lessened over time thanks to his ministrations and after several very long minutes she finally lifted her head.

"Hey, there you are…" Roy murmured to her, offering a tiny grin. He didn't stop running his hand through her hair. "Feeling any better?"

Riza wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest.

"No…" she breathed.

Roy frowned and nodded, knowing all too well what she meant. These bouts of panic and fear were something they both went through occasionally, but she hadn't had an attack this bad for years now. He wondered what had set this off. This was another kind of spark they both kept inside and it was one neither of them wanted to ignite, though they couldn't seem to get away from it no matter how much time had passed. Roy ran his hand up and down her back.

"Just breathe," he said, voice soft. "Breathe with me. Come on, you can do it."

Riza felt his voice reverberate in his chest and it helped as she tried to match his breathing. When her shivering lessened and she seemed to not be struggling for breath anymore, Roy placed his arm beneath her knees, the other still around her shoulder, and lifted her, carrying her to her bed and tucking her into the warmth of her blankets. He kneeled at her bedside, keeping her hands in his, running his fingers over her knuckles.

"Thank you." Riza sighed, meeting Roy's gaze for the first time that night.

Roy smiled and nodded.

"Think you'll be okay, now?"

Riza hummed in response and Roy squeezed her hands before releasing them, standing to place a chaste kiss on her forehead. When he turned to leave, Riza did something very unlike herself. She grasped for his arm and kept him from moving.

"Please, stay." she said, voice barely audible, like she was unsure she if even wanted to be speaking those words.

This was something she had never done before and Roy looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion and worry. It was an unspoken agreement between them that they never stay longer than was necessary in these situations. It would be dangerous if someone found them leaving the other's apartment, so staying was never an option. Whatever had caused her to react tonight must have been severe if she was asking him to stay, knowing full well what they were risking.

Roy stared at her, contemplating for a few moments before removing his arm from her grip. Riza's heart sank, assuming he was leaving, but she knew it was better that way. She always convinced herself it was better that way. She settled into her bed, ready to turn away from his retreating form, only to stop and stare as he removed his shirt and crawled into the bed next to her, taking her into his arms immediately.

"I'll leave at dawn before anyone is awake to see," he reasoned. "It's fine just this once."

Roy wasn't sure who he was convincing with his words, but both of them relaxed into each other's embrace.

Despite the night starting off badly, it ended up being one of the best nights of sleep either had gotten in a very long time.

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Whoo, finally done. Once again, I didn't know how to end this one. It felt like it would just go on forever so I tried to wrap it up quickly at the end there. Not sure I like it, but it works well enough.

As always, thanks for reading.


	7. ChoicesEven Into Hell

These prompts were taking way too long to come up with ideas for...I ended up combining the final prompt for Royai Week, Choices, and the prompt for Royai Day, Even into Hell.

So here, have some angst.

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There were many instances in Roy Mustang's life that came down to a choice between what was right and what was easy. Each time, he would always choose what was right, no matter how difficult the path. His goals demanded nothing less. His convictions and morals never wavered. They were things that always came first. He was constantly looking forward to the future, consistently striving to make it a better one, and this was one of the reasons Riza Hawkeye loved him so much, why she would follow him into hell if he asked her to.

The only time Mustang had ever considered a different path, a path that did not lead to him creating a better future, was when Riza Hawkeye, the only woman he had ever loved, ever could love, was killed in his defense.

The easy choice would have been to take his own life. Living without her was something he couldn't even comprehend, but he knew she would never forgive him for such a decision. He couldn't betray her by ending everything right then and there, but at the moment of her death, he became numb, and every day after seemed like his body was just going through the motions of living, but he wasn't really there anymore. Changing Amestris was still important to him, but without her, it almost felt like it wasn't worth it. Not wanting her death to be in vain, reminding himself that she had died for their dream of a better Amestris, was sometimes the only thing keeping him moving forward.

And so, many years after Riza's death, he knelt before his own. He had finally done it. Roy Mustang had become Fuhrer of Amestris, changed the country to a democracy, stood trial for his crimes in Ishval, and was sentenced to death by firing squad. Everything they had been working toward finally became a reality. His lips turned up in a sad smile, barely registering the single tear that fell from his closed eyes.

"I'm coming Riza." he whispered, his voice carried away by the cool morning breeze. "This time, I'll follow you. Even into Hell."

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So...I cut this waaaaay short. Sorry for that. I'm even kind of upset with myself, but my brain did not want to keep going. I really liked this idea and I just had to write it so I did the only thing I could think of and cut to the end. I just didn't have the time to add everything I wanted. I might explore this idea in more depth later on though, since I like it quite a bit.

Thank for reading, and happy Royai Day/Week! I was so glad to be a part of this. This was the first time I've ever done anything like this and I had a lot of fun challenging myself. Thank you to everyone that hosted this!


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